A number of plating devices and systems are available in the art for purposes of remedying dysfunctional vertebrae and associated disks which make up the spinal column of a human or for that matter any mammal. These plating systems generally include a bar having a plurality of apertures through which can be placed screws. The screws are adapted for insertion into selected vertebral bodies. Thus, for example, a plate can be used to span a disk area in order to rigidly secure upper and lower vertebral bodies together, and/or the plate can span an entire vertebral body in order to rigidly secure a vertebral body located above the spanned vertebral body to a vertebral body located below the spanned vertebral body. In order to stabilize the spine, pairs of plating systems can be placed on opposite lateral sides of upper and lower vertebral bodies, which bracket an intermediate vertebral body. Lateral attachment methodologies are preferred due to the complication associated with both anterior and posterior approaches. Further, difficulty has been experienced with stabilizing vertebrae in the lower lumbar and upper sacrum region, and in particular, stabilizing the L5 and S1 vertebrae.